More than 100 firefighters have brought a huge blaze in Walthamstow under control after it ripped through homes, gardens, a number of sheds, and a railway embankment on Sunday (July 12).
Fire crews respond to large blaze near Vallentin Road
London Fire Brigade (LFB) confirmed 125 firefighters and 20 fire engines attended the scene near Vallentin Road and Shernhall Street at around 6pm. One house caught fire, while a second home suffered damage to its rear extension. The blaze also spread through the gardens of around 30 properties before crews stopped it from reaching more homes.
A railway embankment also caught alight, forcing the partial closure of the Weaver London Overground line and causing disruption for passengers.
Assistant Commissioner praises firefighters
LFB Assistant Commissioner Tom Goodall, who was at the scene in east London, praised firefighters for bringing the incident under control. He said: "This was a significant incident affecting the community this evening. We deployed a significant amount of resources to this fire and firefighters worked in hot and arduous conditions to bring it under control as swiftly as possible."
Goodall added: "One house was alight, and a second home has suffered damage to a rear extension. The gardens of around 30 properties have also unfortunately been affected by the fire. However, crews worked extremely hard to prevent the fire from spreading to further homes."
Railway disruption and passenger support
"A railway embankment was also alight and this has caused disruption to the Weaver London Overground line. We have worked closely with Transport for London and the British Transport Police to support passengers on stopped trains. All passengers have now left the railway," Goodall confirmed.
Goodall confirmed firefighters had brought the blaze under control after hours of work. He added: "The Brigade will retain a significant presence on the scene through the night, working to fully extinguish the fire."
No injuries, rest centres opened
There have been no reports of any injuries. Two rest centres have been opened for evacuated residents, although crews are hopeful that most people will be able to return home tonight.
At the height of the incident, thick smoke billowed across the area and residents were advised to keep their windows and doors shut. That advice has now been lifted. Motorists are still being urged to steer clear of Wood Street, Shernhall Street and the surrounding roads, where closures remain in place.
Emergency response and cause under investigation
Earlier in the evening, London Fire Brigade confirmed a railway embankment, a number of gardens and several outbuildings close to the railway line had caught fire. The Brigade received more than 100 emergency calls, with crews from Tottenham, Bethnal Green, Walthamstow, Chingford and surrounding fire stations sent to the scene.
Local MP Stella Creasy said there had been "an electrical fire on the train lines." She added: "We have got a major incident in Wood Street. There is a serious fire with a lot of roads and people being evacuated." The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
